[Theatresquirrel]

One of my favourite things in all theatre is the NT Olivier's drum revolve. Okay, so great theatre isn't just about stage effects, but this nifty piece of kit has certainly quickened my pulse at various times over the last decade of theatregoing. I just found this little video about it on the revamped NT website:

http://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/39988/ol...um-revolve.html

What I wonder, though, is where else has one? I sat through War Horse's West End transfer on total tenterhooks waiting to see if the New London has one for an all-important 'coup de theatre' towards the end of the show - it turns out that they don't although they still fortunately muster incredible excitement in a different way. Then when I saw Shrek recently on Broadway (at the Broadway Theatre) I saw they had one there, plus travelators and all other extraordinary gizmos. But is this the only one in London? And, while we're on the subject (what the hell) what have been your favourite NT drum revolve moments - beyond the one I've just referred to in War Horse - over the years...?

[Miriam]

I thought what they did with it in Revenger's Tragedy last year was incredible!

[Nicola]

Wind in the Willows (1990) was my first drum revolve "Wow!"

[Laughingmonsta]

WITW is still prob the best use of the revolve ever!

[Michael H]

Revenger's Tragedy was just a plain revolve, wasn't it? As far as I can remember. As was Coram Boy (ah, but what a show).

I agree War Horse used the interior guts of the machinery brilliantly.

The most spectacular use I've seen was probably in His Dark Materials. All those airship interiors, and then Scoresby's balloon rising with Serafina Pekkala attached to it.

[Miriam]

Revenger's Tragedy was just a plain revolve, wasn't it? As far as I can remember. As was Coram Boy (ah, but what a show).

I agree War Horse used the interior guts of the machinery brilliantly.

The most spectacular use I've seen was probably in His Dark Materials. All those airship interiors, and then Scoresby's balloon rising with Serafina Pekkala attached to it.

Yeah, plain revolve but used so brilliantly!

[Matthew Winn]

I found the film about the multi-point flying system even more interesting. But at the same time I can't help but feel a sense of loss at the departure from hands-on theatre. There's a live quality about pulling ropes and pushing trucks that isn't quite there when someone presses a button and lets the computer take over. You can do some wonderful things with technology, but when you have that technology at your disposal I expect wonderful things and I don't find it so impressive any more.

[Dawnstar]

Oh, I remember Wind In The Willows - just about, I would have been five when I saw it if it was on in 1990. I can still remember being impressed by the revolve.

Is it, per the first post wondering where else has one, therefore considered a different piece of stage machinery to the flat revolve that Les Mis has or the revolve at Lord Of The Rings that went up & down in sections?

[Jan Brock]

The drum revolve caused Peter Hall all sorts of grief - the thing didn't work at all for years and years. I think one of the first (maybe THE first) time they got it working, and still the best use I have seen, was in the Howard Davies production of "The Shaughraun" (1988)

[Job]

The drum revolve caused Peter Hall all sorts of grief - the thing didn't work at all for years and years. I think one of the first (maybe THE first) time they got it working, and still the best use I have seen, was in the Howard Davies production of "The Shaughraun" (1988)

Yes, The Shaughraun was spectacular. Peter Pan was pretty good, as was Pygmalion (Alan Howard), although that felt a bit OTT for the play - like Michael Bay directing Krapp's Last Tape. It's The Wind in the Wllows that best caught the magic for me.

His Dark Materials used the drum effectively but it didn't achieve the 'wow' factor. Lighting, sound and storyline have to coalesce in order for it to make the biggest impact.

Job